(Please Note: This is an Academic Book for the curious souls, so is the Article...)
In psychoanalytic theory, perversion is often misunderstood as merely involving transgressive or abnormal sexual behaviours. However, Lacanian psychoanalysis provides a more nuanced view. According to Lacan, perversion is defined by the subject's structural position relative to the symbolic Other, not by specific acts.
Stephanie Swales’ Perversion: A Lacanian Approach to the Subject explores this concept in depth, revealing how perversion is rooted in the subject's engagement with societal norms and the symbolic order.
This article will be focusing on ten of the key aspects and ten random lines from Swales’ work, offering an analysis that remains accessible through clear explanations and real-world examples.
Key Aspects from Swales' Book
1. Perversion as a Structural Position
Swales articulates that perversion is characterised by the subject's strategic manipulation of the Other’s desire. Unlike neurotic subjects, who struggle with internal conflicts due to the recognition of societal norms, or psychotic subjects, who reject these norms, perverse subjects position themselves in relation to the Other’s desire in a manner that manipulates and controls it.
Example: Consider an individual who consistently challenges social norms not out of mere defiance but to position themselves as an authority who controls the real rules behind these norms. Their behaviour reflects a deeper structural engagement with the Other's desire.
2. Lacan’s Diagnostic Structures: Neurosis, Psychosis, and Perversion
Lacan’s diagnostic structures offer distinct frameworks for understanding how subjects navigate their psychic dilemmas:
Neurosis involves a conflicted relationship with societal rules, characterised by guilt and anxiety. Subjects are troubled by their internal conflicts and the expectations of the Other.
Example: A person who feels intense guilt over not meeting social expectations, leading to anxiety and self-doubt, exemplifies a neurotic structure.
Psychosis is marked by a rejection of the symbolic order, leading to a delusional state where societal norms are dismissed, and the subject’s reality becomes detached.
Example: An individual who believes they are exempt from societal rules due to a delusional belief represents a psychotic structure.
Perversion involves accepting alienation while disavowing castration, treating societal norms as fraudulent or weak. Perversion is characterised by excessive jouissance, where the subject seeks to circumvent the limits imposed by societal laws.
Example: A person who disregards societal limitations with a sense of invulnerability, manipulating norms for personal gain, illustrates perversion.
3. Alienation, Separation, and Castration: Core Lacanian Concepts
Lacan’s concepts of alienation, separation, and castration are fundamental to understanding the perverse structure:
Alienation: The subject initially enters the symbolic order, recognising that their desires are mediated by the Other’s expectations.
Example: A child learns about societal rules through their interactions with caregivers, experiencing a split between their desires and societal expectations.
Separation: The subject confronts the incompleteness of the Other’s desire, leading to an awareness of their own desire’s limitations.
Example: The realisation that societal rules cannot encompass all aspects of one’s desire marks the separation phase.
Castration: Symbolic castration involves accepting societal limits. In perversion, this recognition is rejected, leading to excessive jouissance.
Example: A person who rejects societal constraints and engages in extreme behaviour to bypass these limits demonstrates the disavowal of symbolic castration.
4. Substructures of Perversion: Fetishism, Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, Sadism, and Masochism
Swales explores various substructures within perversion, each representing different ways the perverse subject interacts with the Other’s desire:
Fetishism: The subject displaces their desire onto a specific object, which serves as a substitute for the missing element in their relationship with the Other.
Example: An individual fixated on a particular object for sexual pleasure uses this object to avoid confronting the absence signified by societal norms.
Voyeurism and Exhibitionism: These involve the Other’s gaze. Voyeurism is about deriving pleasure from observing others secretly, while exhibitionism involves deriving pleasure from being seen.
Example: A voyeur might take pleasure in secretly watching others, while an exhibitionist enjoys being openly observed and judged.
Sadism and Masochism: These structures involve the imposition or submission to the law. Sadists enforce their version of the law through control or violence, whereas masochists submit to perceived injustices, deriving pleasure from their suffering.
Example: A sadist might exert power over others, while a masochist finds satisfaction in enduring conditions they perceive as unfair or harsh.
5. Differentiating Neurotic and Perverse Subjects in Clinical Practice
Swales provides insights into distinguishing between neurotic, psychotic, and perverse subjects in clinical settings. For instance, a neurotic sex offender might exhibit intense feelings of guilt and anxiety, while a perverse sex offender might challenge societal norms and test the limits set by the therapist.
Swales presents detailed case studies highlighting how transference and treatment differ between these structures. In treating a perverse subject, therapists must navigate complex dynamics where the patient attempts to manipulate or test boundaries, reflecting their engagement with the symbolic order.
6. Case Studies: Neurotic vs. Pervese Offenders
Swales’ book includes two in-depth case studies:
Neurotic Offender: The case study highlights how neurotic sex offenders present with internal conflicts and guilt, requiring a therapeutic approach that addresses these feelings.
Pervese Offender: This case study demonstrates how perverse sex offenders interact with societal norms in ways that challenge or manipulate these norms, necessitating a different therapeutic strategy.
7. The Role of Transference in Perversion
Swales discusses how transference operates differently in perversion compared to neurosis and psychosis. Perverse subjects often attempt to manipulate the therapist by positioning them as the Other who can be controlled or tested, making it crucial for therapists to maintain a symbolic distance.
8. Treatment Strategies for Perversion
Swales outlines treatment strategies for working with perverse subjects, focusing on maintaining the symbolic order and resisting attempts to be manipulated or controlled. Therapists must navigate the perverse subject's complex relationship with societal norms and desire.
9. The Impact of Societal Norms on Perversion
The book explores how societal norms influence the development of perversion. Perversion often involves a rejection or manipulation of these norms, reflecting the subject's complex relationship with the symbolic order.
10. Contributions to Psychoanalytic Theory
Swales’ analysis contributes to psychoanalytic theory by offering a fresh perspective on perversion. Her work enhances the understanding of how perversion functions within Lacanian theory and provides practical insights for clinicians.
Ten Lines from the book:
"The pervert typically identifies with the desire of the mother as the enigmatic Other." (p. 31)
Lacanian theory posits that the mother, as the child’s first significant ‘Other’, becomes a source of enigma, her desires remaining opaque and unreachable. For the perverse subject, this enigma is central—they obsess over decoding and, ultimately, controlling it. For instance, a person might repeatedly engage in relationships mirroring their early bond with a distant or unpredictable mother figure, seeking to solve or control the riddle of what she wants. This isn’t about understanding love but mastering a puzzle rooted in childhood anxieties."The perverse subject's relationship to the law is one of both defiance and submission; he both challenges and depends on it." (p. 43)
The perverse subject’s interaction with societal rules is paradoxical—they seek pleasure in defying the law while simultaneously relying on it for structure. Consider a corporate figure who manipulates legal loopholes to achieve unethical outcomes without breaking the law. The thrill for the perverse subject lies in this tension between obedience and subversion, where they test boundaries without entirely rejecting the authority of the symbolic order."In perversion, there is a fundamental disavowal of castration, resulting in a split subject who plays both sides of the law." (p. 68)
In Lacan’s framework, castration is symbolic—it represents accepting limits, the recognition that some desires remain unfulfilled due to societal norms. The perverse subject refuses this limit, leading to a split psyche: one that partially acknowledges the law while simultaneously flouting it. A character like Tony Soprano embodies this duality—upholding traditional family values while engaging in violent, criminal enterprises. This split enables the perverse subject to manoeuvre within both the legal and illegal realms, bending the law without breaking it outright."The perverse act is not merely an act of defiance but an attempt to assert control over the desire of the Other by structuring it around the subject’s jouissance." (p. 99)
Perversion involves more than rebellion; it’s a calculated effort to manipulate the Other’s desires to align with the perverse subject’s enjoyment, or jouissance. In a toxic relationship, one partner might constantly push their partner’s boundaries, aiming to elicit a specific reaction that feeds their own emotional needs. Here, the perverse subject isn’t merely indulging in excess; they’re attempting to dictate how the Other desires, wrapping that desire around their own satisfaction."The pervert’s aggression is often displaced onto a female victim, which is an unconscious replication of the hostility originally directed at the mother." (p. 132)
Swales brings attention to how perversion is frequently gendered, with female figures becoming the targets of hostility that stems from unresolved oedipal conflicts. An example is a man who exerts controlling, domineering behaviour towards women, echoing unresolved childhood resentment towards his mother. This displacement allows the perverse subject to symbolically ‘resolve’ early conflicts in a way that feels manageable but remains deeply destructive."In perversion, the subject positions himself as the instrument of the Other’s jouissance, believing himself to fulfil the Other’s desire." (p. 89)
The perverse subject sees themselves as essential to the Other’s pleasure. Imagine a person who finds self-worth in being indispensable to their partner’s happiness, assuming that without their constant attention, the partner would be unfulfilled. However, this servitude is a strategic manoeuvre; by ostensibly placing the Other’s needs above their own, the perverse subject maintains control over the dynamic, ensuring their central role in the relationship."The pervert’s enjoyment lies not in breaking the law but in reaffirming it by pushing its boundaries to the limit." (p. 104)
Perversity is not necessarily about outright rebellion but about the satisfaction derived from pushing legal and moral boundaries to their limits. Think of someone who takes pride in exploiting the grey areas of business ethics without ever crossing into criminality. The perverse subject engages with the law as a game—affirming its presence while subtly undermining it, exposing its flaws without fully rejecting its authority."Perversion often involves a masquerade, where the subject hides behind a socially acceptable facade while indulging in transgressive behaviours." (p. 117)
Many perverse subjects live dual lives, presenting a respectable exterior while secretly engaging in behaviour that defies social norms. High-profile scandals involving seemingly upright individuals who are later revealed to have hidden addictions or immoral activities illustrate this split. This masquerade allows the perverse subject to maintain their status within society while covertly pursuing transgressive jouissance, preserving their public image even as they act in ways that contradict it."In perversion, the subject seeks to escape the anxiety of desire by fixing the Other’s desire in a rigid framework." (p. 140)
Desire is inherently unstable, always in flux, and thus anxiety-inducing. The perverse subject seeks to manage this anxiety by imposing rigid structures on the Other’s desire, stabilising it within predictable bounds. For example, a partner who insists on strict routines and rules in their relationship may be trying to eliminate the unpredictability that comes with open-ended desires. By controlling the Other’s desire, the perverse subject creates an illusion of stability, masking deeper anxieties related to chaotic desires."The pervert’s insistence on controlling the Other’s desire reveals an underlying fear of encountering their own desire." (p. 153)
At its core, perversion is marked by an avoidance of one’s own desires. By focusing on controlling how others desire, the perverse subject avoids confronting the complexity and ambiguity of their own psychic drives. This might be observed in individuals who obsessively dictate their partner’s behaviour while remaining detached from their own emotional needs. This externalisation serves as a defence mechanism, enabling the perverse subject to maintain psychological distance from their own unsettling desires.
Exploring Lacanian Jargon
The Other
In Lacanian psychoanalysis, the ‘Other’ refers not merely to another person but to a symbolic entity representing societal rules, language, and authority figures. For example, the mother often functions as the first significant Other, embodying a set of desires that the child cannot fully grasp. In perversion, the Other’s enigmatic desire becomes a focal point for the subject, shaping how they engage with both law and transgression.Castration
Castration, in Lacanian terms, symbolises the process by which the subject recognises and accepts societal limitations. An example would be when a child internalises that certain impulses must be curbed to fit into social norms. The perverse subject rejects this symbolic castration, leading to a relationship with the law that is simultaneously defiant and dependent.Jouissance
Jouissance goes beyond ordinary pleasure, encompassing a form of excessive enjoyment that often involves breaking boundaries or engaging in taboo behaviour. For instance, someone constantly seeking out extreme experiences exemplifies the pursuit of jouissance. In the context of perversion, jouissance is often linked to manipulating the Other’s desires, drawing satisfaction from pushing limits while maintaining control.The Symbolic Order
The symbolic order refers to the set of societal structures—language, laws, and norms—that shape our reality. Language, for instance, is part of this order, dictating how we communicate and understand the world around us. The perverse subject uniquely interacts with this order, exploiting its inconsistencies while remaining reliant on its existence.
Stephanie Swales’ Perversion: A Lacanian Approach to the Subject redefines how we approach perversion, moving beyond simplistic notions of deviance to uncover a complex psychic structure. Perversion is not merely about breaking rules or indulging in transgression; it is a strategic engagement with the symbolic order, where control, desire, and jouissance are intricately intertwined. Through the lens of Lacan, Swales reveals how perversion is driven by the need to navigate the enigmatic desires of the Other, balancing between defiance and dependence. The perverse subject’s actions are not random but are structured responses to deep-seated psychic anxieties, offering profound insights into the complexities of human behaviour.
Her detailed analysis, coupled with clear explanations of Lacanian concepts and practical case studies, makes this book an essential resource for psychoanalysts, clinicians, and scholars. The insights provided enrich our understanding of Lacanian theory and offer valuable guidance for clinical practice.
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